Picking a fight against litter in Theale
Published: 01 August 2021
Ready for the litter “picknic”?
We are looking forward to Theale Parish Council’s COMMUNITY LITTER PICK on Sunday 1st August. This is a great way to get outside with others and make Theale a better place to live.
To those of you who have signed up, we look forward to seeing you there. If you have yet to sign up, you still can!
When & where?
Please meet Zoe Fenwick and Iain Hopcroft outside the Pavilion on Englefield Road at 10.30am. Zoe will be armed with tea, coffee and squash. There might even be some biscuits if Iain doesn’t eat them all . . .
If you can’t make that time, don’t worry. Zoe will be hanging around the Pavilion whilst everyone else is out picking.
If you live in Theale, why not walk, run or cycle? Not only is it better for you than using the car, it’s better for the environment too!
Equipment & clothing
We will provide all equipment and safety clothing (hi-vis, gloves), so you don’t need to worry about that. However if you have any heavy duty gardening/work gloves, please do feel free to bring these.
Please wear sensible clothes depending on the weather. Closed toe shoes are recommended, so maybe leave the flip-flops at home . . .
Safety first
When you arrive, Iain will give you a short safety briefing before you get going. He’s been practising all week. It’s all common sense, but please make sure you listen and follow the instructions.
Do not use the litter pickers to pinch others or pick your nose.
Covid
Heard of this? As you’ll be picking outside, the risk of transmission is very low. If you are going inside the Pavilion, please be cautious and respect others’ precautions.
Zoe will be the only person handing out the refreshments and she is fanatical about cleanliness. Both she and Iain will do a lateral flow test before the event.
And it almost goes without saying – if you or anyone in your household experiences Covid symptoms or is self-isolating, please DO NOT COME!
Toilets
You will be able to use the Pavilion toilets. Please wash your hands before and after. You are picking litter, after all.
Picnic on the rec!
Once everyone has done their bit of picking, join us for a picnic on the recreation ground at about 12.30pm. Please bring your own picnic. And put your litter in the bin.
If you would like to drop off your scotch eggs and chicken legs before you pick litter, you can leave this in the Pavilion kitchen fridge. Zoe will be there all morning to make sure Iain doesn’t nick your food.
This is a chance to chat with your fellow villagers and find out about the . . .
. . . Environmental Working Party
Theale Parish Council’s Environmental Working Party was set up last year to improve Theale’s natural environment and generally make the villager a greener and more pleasant place to live.
This year, we will install some new hedges, trees, and some bird and bat boxes – one will even have a camera with livestream!
We are working with West Berkshire Council’s newly established Environment Deliver Team to help deliver its Environmental Strategy. It aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
We need YOU!
If you have ideas on how the Environmental Working Party can improve Theale’s environments, tell us. We would love to hear your thoughts.
We would also love volunteers for future activities. If you are interested, email us or talk to Iain or Zoe at the picnic.
Theale Parish Council’s Environmental Working Group is looking for volunteers to help with a community litter pick on Sunday 1st August at 10:30am. Please meet at the Village Hall car park.
The litter pick will cover various areas around the village. To celebrate making Theale’s green spaces healthier, cleaner and more tranquil, a community picnic will take place on the recreation ground afterwards. Litter picking equipment will be provided so bring your picnic goodies and a blanket and share your ideas on how we can help create thriving green spaces around the village.
The national lockdown has highlighted the importance of our parks and green spaces and reminded us of the physical and mental health benefits of connecting with nature. And of course, our landscapes have a vital role in tackling the climate emergency by capturing carbon, cleaning the air, helping to slow flood waters and providing diverse habitats for wildlife.
The Environmental Working Group is also looking at projects to improve Theale’s natural habitats and enhance the qualities that make these places so special. Projects include installing bat and bird boxes, planting more hedgerows and trees, creating wildlife areas and revising the mowing regimes to encourage wildflowers. In Holy Trinity’s graveyard, we’ve already identified a colony of meadow saxifrage, a species of perennial herb with conversation status marked as in decline. Any other ideas and suggestions from residents and volunteers are always welcome.
The Environmental Working Group is working with West Berkshire Council’s Environment Department to help deliver on its environment strategy to create a greener and carbon neutral West Berkshire by 2030. By engaging with the local community, we can help residents play a part in minimising the impact of climate change through initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, pollution and waste, and increase recycling and energy efficiency.
We want as many people as possible to get involved – even just a couple of hours a month can make a huge difference! This means everybody can have somewhere to relax and connect with nature and enjoy our green spaces. We look forward to seeing you there!